The Undead..

[accipiter]

Ghouls are intelligent and can take class levels

Use a Ghoul Necromancer Wizard as the BBEG and ou may even convince the Players that they are facing a lich

Heh, I didn't know that! I'm working on an undead-heavy adventure for a similar party range as the OP and this might just do the trick. I was thinking about using the huecuva template (from the fiend folio) on a cleric, but this could be much more fun!

 

[Drowbane]

I recommend a grave-touched Ghoul (template from Libris Mortis: book of bad latin) deathmaster (dragon compendium vol 1) as your BBEG.

 

[debalkez]

Thank you all for the help. I have a new array of undead monsters for them to face. Tell me what you think.

12 Ghouls, 3 Ghasts, 6 Human Zombies, 3 Bugbear Zombies, 5 Trogyldyte Zombies, SIx skeletal warriors, and one skeletal champion.

(Skeletal warriors are based off of the 3.5 MM Human Warrior Skeleton, and the champ is based off of the 3.5 MM Troll Skeleton)

 

[CleverNickName]

Thank you all for the help. I have a new array of undead monsters for them to face. Tell me what you think.

12 Ghouls, 3 Ghasts, 6 Human Zombies, 3 Bugbear Zombies, 5 Trogyldyte Zombies, SIx skeletal warriors, and one skeletal champion.

(Skeletal warriors are based off of the 3.5 MM Human Warrior Skeleton, and the champ is based off of the 3.5 MM Troll Skeleton)

It's still pretty powerful, but it shouldn't be a problem if your party has a Sun Cleric in their group. If the party starts having trouble, you might swap out the zombies with skeletons.

 

[Bladesong]

You could just "bend" the rules and use a lich anyway; just scale him down. Story: very low level wizard (or cleric) learns he is going to die well before he can obtain the power necessary to become a lich so he cheats by finding some ancient ritual (fiendish help perhaps) that allows him to become one at level 3 (or 4 or 5). It is a template after all. One of my most loved/hated bad guys I have ever used ended up being a child commoner lvl 1/vampire for a group of low level adventures. DCs were lower and doable, and the party eventually succeeded in identifiying it, tracking it down and destroying it by the time they were 3rd level (almost 4th level). Anyway, scale one down and it will work fine.

 

[GreatLemur]

One of my most loved/hated bad guys I used ended up being a child commoner lvl 1/vampire for a group of low level adventures. DCs were lower and doable, and the party eventually succeeded in tracking it down and destroying it by the time they were 3rd level (almost 4th level).

Aw, now that sounds pretty awesome. Plus, it sets them up for serious terror the first time they find themselves threatened with an enemy that combines that template with some class levels. If they know a vampire kid is dangerous, they're really going to worry about that master thief or grizzled combat veteran he might have converted...

 

[Land Outcast]

Of course, remember that you cna describe your monsters in a more fearsome fashion (so that it doesn't seem like they are just fighting Skeletons and Zombies, I know that usually feel frustrated when fighting S&Z).

[sblock=Human zombies]
Last Report of Renno, Scout of the Resistance:


Now that I see them close up, these figures aren't... can't be human... they have the build of a normal person but are hairless and covered with slick black skin. While I can't make out their nails from the distance, something pearl-white gleams in their mouths... teeth? fangs?

By the High One! I swear it moved faster than I can blink!

*silence*

No... The burning sockets didn't spot me...

It moves slowly, far too slowly, is almost static until it springs with blinding speed for a short distance, just to resume its slow motion...

*silence*

Damn! There must be someone controlling them, I'm not sure I'll make it out of here alive.

As I focused on the nearest creature, others moved to block the exits... as would black pawns in chess... Perhaps I can use the grate on the apex of the dome, but there is a shade which blocks the sun every-so-often...[/sblock]